Body member rest



Dec. 17, 1963 Filed July 5. 1961 R. R. DEMAREST BODY MEMBER REST 2Sheets-Sheet 1 23 INVENTOR. REY/VALDO R. DEMA REST WM v-M H/S ATTOR/VEYS United States Patent 3,114,527 BODY MEMBER REST Reynaldo R.Demarest, 542 Bush St., San Francisco, Calif. Filed July 5, 1961, Ser.No. 122,010 2 Claims. (Cl. 248118) My invention relates generally todevices for supporting a portion of a patients body while the patient isin a reclining position and more particularly to a mul-ti-purpose devicefor supporting portions of a patients body for physical therapy inovercoming, through massage, morbid conditions in the same zone of theportion of the patients body affected.

Among the objects of my invention are:

(1) To provide a novel and improved multipurpose device for supporting aportion of a patients body while in a reclined position.

(2) To provide a novel and improved multipurpose device adapted tofacilitate the application of physical therapy to a portion of apatients body.

(3) To provide a novel and improved device for supporting a patientshead beyond the edge of an elevated plane on which the patient reclines.y

(4) To provide a novel and improved device for supporting the head of apatient lying in a prone position while affording unrestricted breathingfrom an unconfined air space.

(5) To provide a novel and improved device capable of fulfilling theforegoing objects, yet which is economical and simple of construction.

Additional objects of my invention will appear from the followingdescription of a preferred embodiment of the same taken in conjunctionwith the accompanying drawings, wherein :FIGURE 1 is a perspective viewof a preferred embodiment of the invention as applied as a head rest;

FIGURE 2 is a bottom view partly in section of the pad portion of thedevice shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a side view of the device of FIGURE 1 while in use with aperson lying in a prone position on an elevated surface;

FIGURE 4 is a cross-sectional view taken through the plane 44 of FIGURE2;

FIGURE 5 is a plan view of a second embodiment of my invention; and

FIGURE 6 is a side view of said second embodiment.

Referring to the drawings for details of my invention in its preferredform, I provide an elongated base 11 preferably of rectangular frameconstruction formed of metal wire or rod material having a pair of sidemembers 13 and an end member 15, adapted to rest upon a substantiallyflat elevated surface such as that of a bed, treatment table, or thelike, 17 as shown in FIGURE 2 and held in place thereon by the weight ofthe patients torso.

While 1 prefer the base 11 to be of frame construction for economy ofmanufacture, it will be appreciated that it may take other forms, forexample, that of a flat plate, without departing from the spirit of myinvention.

The other end of the base is provided with an offset portion 19 having apair of spaced legs 21 disposed at substantially right angles to thebase and having outwardly extending arms 23 interconnected at theirdistal ends by a rigid bridge 25 on which is mounted a pad 27 ofresilient material such as foam rubber, or the like, for supporting thehead of a reclining patient.

I have found that when the device is used as a head rest to support theforehead of a patient reclining in a prone position that the arms 23 beof such length as to permit mounting the pad so that its longitudinalmidportion is spaced from legs 21 a distance of the order of seveninches, such distance being based upon the average size of a patientsface which measures approximately 3,114,527 Patented Dec. 17, 1963 iceseven inches from mid-forehead to bottom of chin. Any material increasein such spacing tends to cancel out neck flexation and positions theshoulders of the patient beyond the edge of the treatment table, or ifmaterially decreased, tends to bring the chin against the edge of thetreatment table.

For sanitary purposes, as well as to permit reversal of the pad from oneside of the bridge to the other so as to permit the device to be usedwith its offset portion disposed either above or below the plane of thebase 11, I provide a cover 29, preferably of plastic or fabric materialhaving a plurality of snaps 33 thereon for removably securing the pad inplace upon the bridge.

To assure maximum comfort for the patient and afford further support forthat portion of the body of the patient selected for support, I providea strap 35, preferably of fabric material, between the arms 23 of theoffset portion 19 intermediate the legs 21 and the pad.

In use, the device of my invention is adapted to support the head of apatient while reclining in a prone position. Thus when it is desired tomanipulate the neck muscles of a patient while lying in a proneposition, the base of the device is placed on the bed or table with theoffset portion positioned below the plane of the base and overlying theedge of the bed or table. In this position, the patients torso restsupon the elongated base and the weight thereof serves to anchor the baseto the bed or table. The patients forehead then is cushioned in acomfortable position upon the pad and being disposed below the plane ofthe base, the patients spine is laterally aligned to orient the neck andshoulder muscles in a manner conducive to effective physical therapy. Tofurther support the patients head, the strap provides a chin rest whichcontributes to the patients feeling of security and comfort.

To provide additional versatility, I have shown in FIG- URES 5 and 6 amodification of the device of my invention which alfords adjustabilityfor varying the elevation of the pad 27 with respect to the plane of thebase 11, as well as for rotating the pad 27. In general, the legs 21 aremanually adjustable with respect to the base to permit of selectivepositioning of the pad 27. More particularly, I provide an end of thebase with a pair of fixed spaced clutch discs 37 each orientedsubstantially perpendicular to the plane of the base and having a bolt39 extending axially therethrough to mesh with a corresponding clutchdisc 41 fixedly mounted on legs 21. A wing nut 43 is provided for thebolt whereby the corresponding discs 37 and 4 1 may be securely clutchedtogether in selected rotational positions to permit varying theelevation of the pad with reference to the base.

The modified pad 27 is preferably of cylindrical shape and mounted onand rotatable with an axle 45, which is connected to the distal ends ofarms 23 through manually adjustable clutch assemblies 49 similar tothose heretofore described. A chin strap 51 may also be provided as withthe deviw shown in FIGURES 1 through 4.

From the foregoing description of my invention hereinbefore described,it will be apparent that the same fulfills all the objects attributedthereto and while I have illustrated and described my invention in itspreferred forms, the same is subject to alteration and modificationwithout departing from the underlying principles involved, and Iaccordingly do not desire to be limited in my protection to such detailsas I have illustrated and described, except as may be necessitated bythe appended claims.

1 claim:

ii. A device for supporting the head of a patient while reclining in aprone position on a relatively flat elevated surface, comprising aunitary, generally rectangular metal rod frame having a first elongatedhorizontal portion adapted to rest upon said surface and to be held inplace References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTSDrake Jan. 24, 1899 Gallop June 25, 1935 Longfellow Apr. 1, 1941 WallinMar. 8, 1949 Johnson Oct. 27, 1959 Bairnhill Oct. 24, 1961

1. A DEVICE FOR SUPPORTING THE HEAD OF A PATIENT WHILE RECLINING IN APRONE POSITION ON A RELATIVELY FLAT ELEVATED SURFACE, COMPRISING AUNITARY, GENERALLY RECTANGULAR METAL ROD FRAME HAVING A FIRST ELONGATEDHORIZONTAL PORTION ADAPTED TO REST UPON SAID SURFACE AND TO BE HELD INPLACE THEREON BY THE DIRECT WEIGHT OF THE PATIENT''S TORSO, SAID FRAMEHAVING A SECOND SHORT HORIZONTAL PORTION OFFSET DOWNWARDLY FROM SAIDFIRST PORTION AND ADAPTED TO PROJECT OUTWARDLY FROM THE EDGE OF SAIDELEVATED SURFACE, AND A FOREHEAD PAD SUPPORTED BETWEEN THE RODS OF SAIDSHORT PORTION AT A DISTANCE OF THE ORDER OF SEVEN INCHES FROM SAIDOFFSET.